| Show -1 1tUWtat - kiea — AmitoftAUlestSI01Ala I I t i :1! tr' paammwer J et- I ::4 - ''''' t- SUNDAY SELECTION '''":1 - Iroste9p'7:777!L':: '' :'zt:4'ti)ie : ' A""" x0:::::: 4 440Xv9 '45 The Salt Lake Tribune Sunday July 1 1990 A3 I : 1 -- :' 4 11 ' Lobbyists Lam - ! 7:14A---4- 010- i :: ': il da is t41:1:r"Z'-il'- ti 'Al ey- - iir- 'v'vilfe 3ak ral iv-W- :::::'::::: ' ::' y- r: :: '" :ott':0::- '::' A :i'ii::!0'l'“' :':'-::'::- :1' e44i-:- 1' na- - - ::::::::::' ': ': I'!i4it:: :i ' t::: t:::i:::' ' :(:: ' ''''':':-''- - :1 '' 44f:--- - l' :: :: oli :" 4o !4-go'- 0?opelfittl ' ?lrie:'::5 (at:'414:'k'''''tZl' tz:::-:::::P:f 1 IU- III- - 44774:lt'i-r':::'''-'' 'A44440e4'-::::4:- - i ::l:::: :::::::::::: - ne ::::: '7'''' :::::-:::::::::::- ile 11N44 "' 'i: ' :::::::: - -- :'"-'' ' - 7 4- Z:'-- of- )n ' '''k er N:: :'::'::i: ' N: N: :- Ftle t :::::::7 oosi ii ii 7' - - 77434)1"'"'"'""70"""""k'et--- ' r' :‘ '':u 477::i:4:::::::s:!::::::":::::!::::::-:::!:-:: ' - 4 t-- 1:i::::i4:::::i-:::4- 1 ''''''4'''4:1:ap::::'1'"!:::::'L'': - :t':7:''?-- - ' - ' ' :::'::':':::!"::i::::: :::::1 !:?:':::::'::i::-::::- -- ::::::::::::i::l:QiiLl::-t::::iio!ii:c7&:::- - '''4S'P::14"'':::::::::7r!::l-"- :Iii :::! :::Hr'::::::i2 :Xt:::ditliU':::z: !:::::11:?::igAtt6:::':::!:!!!i'l:::i:::::i!ig!i'':i:!'i::a:::: -- t ' It 1: Continued From A-- 1 weekend extravaganza include: Steve Creamer noted for his in "project lobbying" Douglas S Fox ley a confidant Norm Bangerter who may be most sought after lobbyist in the Ithe 4 fel1 t ' s ' I1 Glade Sowards a former senator who was defeated after he was criticized for for accepting jobs to represent both sides of the trucking deregulation is—: sue in the Legisla- ture while still a 0: senator — Douglas Sonntag and Bill Shaw both lobby- ists for Utah Pow- er & Light Co — Reed Searle another Bang- - 1 '11 T' r e ' '"4 !e p- - 1 - t ' 4 r I ' P S s - " 10 ' - - f- :' social-service- woi 7 1 ' '' ' or who actually was a Scott Matheson ' Reed Searle confidant when the former Democratic governor was in office — Suzanne Ferry wife for former Senate President and current Agriculture Commissioner Miles "Cap" Ferry who has carved out a successful lobbying business influencing her husband's former colleagues on behalf of such interests as liquor distill ers tobacco companies and prescription drug manufacturers "The cabin belongs to me people bring their own food and we are not lobbied while we are up at Bear Lake" Sen (Christensen said in de fense of the annual party He said he holds the party to honor his fellow senators for the work they do during the arduous y general session that results in the passage of several hundred new laws and an annual state budget every year "It's just a summer social" Sen Christensen said "Everyone brings a share of the food and we all take our turns at the dishes" Not all the guests stay at Sen Christensen's cabin Several other senators have cabins near the lake and some guests stay at rooms rented from Utah State University using the Senate's Third House (social events) fund But past observers and participants of the party say the lobbyists often provide a good deal of the food and the invitations which urge the guests to "bring your favorite salad" are printed at state expense by the Legislative Printing office Sen Christensen said the lobbyists who attend the party are usually there because they ask if they can participate "We have never turned down someone who has asked to come So there is no favoritism" he said But the lobbyisis who attend the Bear Lake party are usually the same ones who attend selected golf tournaments together with members of the Senate and House usually in St George and by lobbyists and St George dignitaries Moreover the lobbyists who attend the parties are among the most successful of all lobbyists in getting their issues favorably resolved by the Legislature Their success also makes them among the best paid lobbyists la the state Mr Creamer has helped push through millions of dollars of funding proposals for such projects as the controversial Burr Trail paving project in a southern Utah wilderness area the Trapper's Loop road to a ski resort project in northern Utah and the West Valley Highway a n dollar highway project approved in an era when many multi-millio- groups argued the state should be s meeting the legitimate needs of the poor elderly and handicapped before funding new highway projects Mr Fox ley lobbies for such interests as American Stores Company Blue Cross & Blue Shield Creamer and Noble (Steve Creamer's engineering firm) Geneva Steel Governor Financial Tel America of SLC Inc US Pollution Control Inc Union Pacific Corp the Utah Hotel Motel Associa- - ii 45-da- : 3 E erter confidant il - - - THE PERSUADERS N $4 IN r st - goeilp 40 Lobbyists in AMERICA 1 17 lawmakers the panel got $9000 in campaign contributions — all legal — from rental car interests Chairman Peter Deutsch got MON each from Alamo and Hertz which were on opposing sides Alamo also provided free use of a Buick for four days to Rep Steve Geller chairman of the House Insurance Subcommittee who voted Alamo's way Geller said accepting the car was a misunderstanding and he paid for it after his using it became public Car companies and lawmakers said no votes were bought or sold but Kevin Bloom of the Florida Consumer Action Network said the two actions were revealing "It's one example of special interests like Alamo using affluence to influence the outcome of legislative metiers" Bloom said "There's no way you can take gifts or favors or anything of value end not be influon enced" The AP examination of lobbyists Utah Has Its Share of Well Connected Lobbyists I— ' 1 Douglas S Fox ley Governor's Confidant bid after taking jobs on Glade Sowards who lost both sides of trucking deregulation issue Is now a lobbyist I ti:!:::4 —:i:: —Tribune Pie Photo I ( : !::4siiiS::f::A::-?:--- 4 f: A -- - 1 ' 4:?:4:04 I- -- d ' :?v VoL''' ::::-:- Li ' ' 4$ :: 1:::4:Po - fr t ' - t'lOHtit4:?: In 1 - Karl Swan "We Cannot Be Bought" AiihA 6'!: - e' e I '''1 a- - 1- --4 ik T- I '" : N:4 or olt At 4 : ie I :or -- : sit t — ' t4i f el- - 4sQ4A-- n' - ::p :: ''‘ ft4k- '''':'-:-o0:t :":: - 1-- 1 Cbt! se:::: :'7':i:1::::':''k':'''"4 :::rti---''-47- - ep np ')::: ::i! -- k- 1 ! :' :ili: :: !i':'::'i'4'-::l'- lag :'-q- le "''''715ellsulls""m2m"a111g11 'l:: c444:7' le ::: Itst! i:71 Continued From A-- 1 influence" said Kirby Hendee a retired lobbyist and former state senator in Wisconsin "People have got to get mad Somebody's stealing the heart of government and they don't seem excited about it" Some point to campaign contribu'ions as the most corrosive influence "It's a form of bribery It's not cash under the table but it's the equivalent of cash" said Florida Sen Tom Brown "The public perception is that if you take things you're obligated to them It's patently absurd to think otherwise" What do the persuaders get for their money? "Access It's access the kind of access the typical voter doesn't have" said Pennsylvania Rep Allen Kukovich "If they get on the phone or make an appointment snap they want to get in there They want your ear This is America Money talks Money buys access "I can't honestly say anyone's for sale I think there are some members who are for lease" Kukovich said "I don't think lobbyists are bad The problem is I think they have too much influence" How much lobbyists spend and how they spend it causes the most alarm among those who feel special interests dominate legislatures For example the day after lobbyists for Alamo Rent A Car treated 27 members of Florida's House Rules Committee to a dinner of steak red snapper and conch chowder last year the panel voted Alamo's way limit how and killed a proposal much rental car comt smes charge for collision damage waivers Alamo This year Florida-base- d won a victory in the House Insurance Committee It rejected a bill that would have forced car companies to charge less for refueling cars Before the vote at least 12 of the ' ':': - s::-:- i akers Speak a Mutual Language: Money : 7 1 - 7:- 31 : (i7-- f - 14 -- ' Utah OKLA main backer the West Valley Douglas Sonntag Her clients include Chemical Waste Management Inc Financial Consultants of America Hospital Corporation of America Kimberly-Clar- k Corporation Pepsi of Ogden-LogaPharmaceutical Manufacturing Association Philip Morris USA Roger Day Associates STC Multistates Associates and US Sprint n 11eXli 0 '113 '''''''' do Aia AlaskaAriz - Mc Ca m Conn ' 430 265 140 60 90 135 ' 6000 647 788 625 1802 NH 162 424 ::::: STATE tIJ 631 NM NY 730 120 112 1740 211 475 422 170 159 132 149 0 253 150 170 Hcl Ga 3 30 Hawaii 208 284 776 ND Oh 5o Okla L 4D0 Maine 472 454 015 taTd Mass t 410044 1220 Minn 1470 290 767 Mo PRIMMOVStMVIPMt 120 82 Ky Lawmakers 100 167 160 238 76 128 611 Lobbyists Mont 250 632 602 177 Pa 150 150 165 138 144 186 111 1E3 SC SD Tenn I 200 143 I 201 I 174 197 1245 372 1400 I I Tens Utah Vt 790 340 292 578 444 7461 CS7 280 473 -- - 1111111Min Few Legislators Lobbyists Tried for Vote Buying Lobbyists' largess to legislators has often upset citizens but cases rarely have wound up in court in recent years California Sen Joseph Montoya was convicted in February of selling votes to special interests who were actually undercover federal agents He was found guilty of racketeering money laundering and five counts of extortion for demanding campaign contributions and speaking fees in exchange for votes Last year federal prosecutors in West Virginia won convictions or guilty pleas from two former Senate presidents a Senate majority leader a member of the House of Delegates two lobbyists and a Senate aide in g cases In Wisconsin two dozen legislators and lobbyists violated the state's ethics law last year by accepting or offering meals hotel rooms tickets to sporting events or travel ex vote-buyin- 41 To Hear Proposals legal" 42596 331 ' $10000 Apiece jail 751 104 180 140 147 134 132 94 Wash WVa INIZEFAMIENIMNIMIN "It's the contemporary golden rule: Those with the gold make the rules" Kauffman said "People are turned off They've passed apathy and gone to alienation It's not their system anymore" penses Wisconsin is the only state that bars legislators from accepting — or lobbyists from giving them — anything of value even a soft drink Eighteen of the cases involved inadvertent or minor infractions but Sen William Shoemaker pleaded guilty after he was charged with accepting illegal loans from a lobbyist and stealing money from his campaign committee Shoemaker resigned his seat and served 60 days in 1194 : : Texan Gives Senators 132 181 - :: '103 COO 950 Wis Wyo man of Pennsylvania Common AUSTIN Texas (AP) — Chicken magnate Lonnie "Bo" Pilgrim came to the Capitol last July to argue for changes he wanted made in the workmen's compensation program While he was at it he handed out $10000 checks to eight of the 31 Texas senatcrs Pilgrim said it was just a way to get access to the senators so they'd listen to his case "All it does is they will answer a telephone call or give you an appointment to listen to hear issues" he said One senator returned his check before reporters learned of them andI the others followed suit after news reports triggered a public outcry Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle called the handouts "outrageous" but apparently legal It wasn't a bribe under Texas law if reported as a campaign contribution "This is not a simple area of the law It's not like somebody going to a and saying 'Stick 'em up' It's much more complicated" Earle said "What this proved is that Texas needs to change its laws on lobbyists to make legislation restricting contributions more clear" Earle said "Right now if a wealthy oilman gives a state senator $100000 the senator can claim it as a campaign contribution and accept it without breaking any law That's outrageous but it's Va TOTAL By The Associated Press to" six-figu- - 4601 1027 e Cause C ottliti Fiat Ind Iowa Kan t 63 'MO plOWA001110111F Del Idaho 7 49 DEL it VA C) Lawmakers century ago Massachusetts made the first attempt at making special interests accountable by re- quiring a detailed statement of all expenses and registration of those working for special interests Only one state Wisconsin forbids lawmakers from accepting a gift trip meal or anything of value — even a cup of coffee — from a lobby ist But even it allows special interests to make campaign contributions All states require lobbyists to reg- ister but four — Georgia Louisiana Utah and Wyoming — don't require any reports on what they spend The rules in most of the rest are written so lobbyists generally can report only their overall spending and don't have to identify individual legislators on whom money is spent Of the 46 states that require some degree of reporting of lobbyists' spending 29 do not audit the reports for accuracy and merely try to make sure the reports are filed on time of the 46 conducted no Twenty-eigh- t investigations of the previous re- porting period In a typical comment McDonald T Coker assistant director of Delaware's Legislative Council said of his state's law: "There is no accountthe law is so loose you ing system couldn't catch anyone if you wanted 531 ' - HAWAII Lobbyists t Nev e- : Fewest registered lobbyists Most registered lobbyists STATE A I 150 01 MI LA pro full-tim- I TEXAS MASS 17--" IOWA 1111 COLO CALIF (a of ect) He is considered by many as the most valuable of the lobbyists because of his close association with Gov Bangerter He was involved in both of the governor's campaigns and was appointed by Gov Bangerter as chairman of the Board of Regents Mr Sonntag and Mr Shaw are usually confined to Utah Power & Light issues but Mr Sonntag a former legislator who is considered by many to be the best liked of all the Senlobbyists among the ate and is often called "the 30th senator" is given permission from time to time by his employer to help on other legislative projects when his services are specifically needed Mr Searle now director of the Intermountain Power Agency is a former official in the Matheson administration But he golfs and socializes regularly with a number of legislators and he was hired on a temporary basis in 1987 as Gov Bangerter's chief of staff with the specific charge of getting the governor Many credit Mr Searle with helping the governor overcome a 30- point deficit in the polls to come from behind at the last minute and defeat Democratic challenger Ted Wilson in 1988 Mr Searle's presence in the governor's office has also been credited with consolidating Republican legislative support for the governor because he is so well connected with that group e official Although he is a with Intermountain Power Agency Mr Searle is a registered lobbyist for American Stores Company Aptus Intermountain Consumer Power Association the Utah Association of Chiropractic Physicians and the Utah Optometric Association Ms Ferry is well connected in the Senate as well as with national associations because her husband during his years in the 1980s as president of the Senate was an officer in national legislative organizations and often traveled to national conventions Many of her clients are national organizations that want a presence in the Utah Legislature in case any issues important to their interests may arise Alk WIS Transportation Highway t- 41111‘00- - - MU NEV estimated $400 in Oklahoma Twenty-three states devote only one or a part-tim- e staffer to oversight 660 344 ' '''' monitor lobbying ranging from t about $750000 in California to an - Neb ND MONT 4 Power & Light Co Utah Rail- road Assn Utah Commission f NH Ski Assn and West Valley 6 R SD Ophthahnological 14 a 1 WYO tion the Utah Society a tgtered lObb IStS er '- Almost as revealing as what some lobbyists report is what they don't Last year California had an esti- - 0 mated $90 million reported spent by s lobbyists state like Yet in a loophole-ridde- n Pennsylvania lobbyists as a group reported spending $362000 That's a fraction of what was reported in smaller states like Connecticut Montana Mississippi Hawaii Nebraska Nev Hampshire South Carolina Kentucky and Kansas The top lobbyist in at least five states reported spending more than was reported by Permsylvania's 799 lobbyists combined t Many former elected officials have found second careers as lobbyists among representing special interest groups are Marvin Mandel of Maryland and Anthony Earl and Martin Schreiber of Wis- consin Some of the best paid lobbyists : incomes that are ' make several times greater than even the highest paid legislators In Maryland for instance lobbyist Bruce a Bereano got more than $1 million in fees from 53 clients in 1989 The persuaders not surprisingly aren't in favor of more reporting "Requiring a lobbyist to report doesn't make them honest or dishonest No lobbyist is going to report do-- ! ing something illegal" said Hobson 'n Waits a lobbyist for the Electric Power Associations of Mississippi Inc Watchdogs agree but they say the point is the public interest would be best served if special interests re- ' ported in detail what they do to influence legislators "We've cut the average citizen out of the process" said Barry Kauff- ainii la 1144111100egoir 1111199 found a hodgepodge of laws regulat- ing them and their spending activities Campaign contributions and gifts that are perfectly legal in some states would bring criminal censure in others Most of the laws were written by lawmakers only a handful of states have regulations enacted by voters Four states don't require lobbyists to report what they spend trying to influence legislators Lobbyists in the other states rarely have to identify the lawmakers they wine and dine or give gifts to State governments spend little to 111 -- 071 - 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